Chris Kretschman and his wife, Robin, have been based at Nyangombe, Zambia, since April this year. Several weeks ago, some young children knocked at their front door to ask if they could pick lemons from the trees behind the house. Chris told them they could each take one lemon per day, so that they would last. They thanked him and, once the lemons were picked, they left with giant smiles across their faces.
This became a daily ritual. Lemons provide vitamins which are desperately needed, and the children were happy to have their lemons during a season when other fruit trees were not producing.
When all the lemons were gone, Chris realised that more fruit trees were needed. As he thought about how this could be realised, he started to see God’s provision. An area has been identified and set aside for planting an additional 40 mango trees, some guava and avocado trees, and dozens of new citrus trees. A waterfall runs nearby, providing an unlimited supply of water. Nutrient-rich manure from the Nyangombe cattle, mixed with compost created by grass cuttings, will be perfect to enrich the soil.
The only part of the project outstanding is the trees themselves! But even there, God has provided! Chris and Robin used to own a plant nursery where they learned to propagate new plants through a process called “air layering”. Using this method, plants can be produced in just 6 weeks. Nurturing and developing roots take another 8 to 12 months, after which then they can be planted. In approximately 2 years, they will be producing fruit!
Air layering has begun, with the goal being for the local children to have more than enough fruit to eat – no longer being limited to just one fruit a day.
